Adjustable cushion



Oct. 4, 1966 E. F. MARPLE ADJUSTABLE CUSHION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 21, 19 65 NV ZNTOR ACEN T PATENT Oct. 4, 1966 E. F. MARPLE ADJUSTABLE CUSHION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 21. 1965 INVENTOR mm W $7 A \INM, WY NN hN MAP/W. An

PATENT AGENT United States Patent ()ffice 3,276,817 Patented Oct. 4, 1966 3,276,817 ADJUSTABLE CUSHION Earle F. Marple, 1709 12th Ave. SW., Calgary, Alberta, Canada Filed May 21, 1965, Ser. No. 457,560 Claims. (Cl. 297377) This invention relates to adjustable cushions and in particular to adjustable cushions comprising a seat portion and a back rest.

It is well known to use cushions as back rests, but such cushions sufier from the disadvantage that, if not firmly supported, they move backwards, ceasing to support the person using the cushion. It is also known to provide cushions which form back rests and which also have a seat pad attached to them. In this latter arrangement the seat pad merely rests on the outside of the cushion when not in use, is liable to get damaged and dirty and is generally an encumbrance.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an adjustable cushion which is self-supporting in an open position and which provides a storage space for a seat pad when not in use and in a closed position.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an adjustable cushion which can be used as a normal seat cushion or the like when in the closed position.

It is another object of the invention to provide an adjustable cushion with a withdrawable seat pad, in which the seat pad is locked in the open or withdrawn position when the cushion is in the open position, and in which the seat pad is drawn back into the interior of the cushion when the cushion is closed.

Accordingly, there is provided an adjustable split cushion comprising two cushion parts hingedly connected at one side and having a seat pad which is withdrawable from the interior of the cushion, between the two cushion parts, at the hinged side. Means are provided for drawing the seat pad into the interior of the cushion. Further means, such as a strut, are provided for maintaining the two cushion parts in an open position. The hingedly connected sides of the cushion parts cooperate to lock the seat pad in the withdrawn position when the cushion is in the open position.

The invention will be understood by the following description of an embodiment thereof, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of a cushion in the open position,

FIGURE 2 is a vertical cross-section through the cushion in the closed position,

FIGURE 3 is a cross-section on the line 3-3 of FIG- URE 2,

FIGURE 4 is a detailed view, to a larger scale, of the hinge attachment, and

FIGURE 5 is a detailed isometric view, to a larger scale, of the method of attaching the seat pad to a sheet of flexible material.

As illustrated in the figures, the cushion, indicated generally by reference 1, comprises two cushion parts 2 and 3, attached to each other at one side by hinges, or pivots 4. The cushion parts 2 and 3 are formed from frames 5 and 6, respectively. To the outer side of frame 5 is attached a flat sheet 7 of substantially rigid material, such as plywood. Over the flat sheet 7 is positioned a thick layer of cushioning material 8 which is held in place by a covering of suitable material 9. The covering 9 can be of woven material, of natural or synthetic fibres, or in the form of a sheet of substantially impermeable material.

To the outer side of frame 6 is similarly attached a sheet of substantially rigid material 12, a layer of cushioning material 13 and a covering 14. The frames 5 and 6 can be of wood, as in the drawings, or of any other suitable material.

The hinges 4, attaching the two cushion parts together, comprise brackets 16 attached to one frame, in the present instance, frame 5, which extend from the frame 5 towards the other frame 6 and are connected thereto by a rod 17 passing through the frame 6, from side to side, and also through the brackets 16. The ends of the rod are rivetted over, as at 18. From each of the brackets 16 extends a short flat lug 19, the purpose of which will be described below. The two cushion parts can be retained in a closed position by a poppet type fastener 20, 21.

The two cushion parts, when in a closed position, as in FIGURES 2 and 3, enclosed a space 25 and within this space 25 is stored a withdrawable seat pad 26. The seat pad can be of varying construction, for example, of foamed plastic or rubber, covered with a suitable material. At the end of the space 25 remote from the hinges 4 is mounted a roller 27. The seat pad 26 is attached to the roller by a length of flexible material 28. In the closed position the material is wrapped round the roller 27. In the particular example illustrated, the roller is spring loaded in a direction to wind the material 28 on to the roller 26 and then draw the seat pad into the space 25. The roller is mounted on the flat sheet 7 of cushion part 2 by two brackets 29.

When the cushion is to be used as a seat and backrest, the seat pad is first pulled as far as required. Holding the seat pad extended, the two cushion parts are hinged open. The cushion parts are maintained in the open position by a strut 32 pivotally attached to cushion part 2, which strut engages with two slotted brackets 33 attached to the cushion part 3. In the open position, the cushion part 2 forms a backrest, cushion part 3 rests on the supporting surface to support the backrest, and the seat pad extends forward away from the cushion, as in FIGURE 1.

The seat pad is maintained in the extended position, when the cushion parts are in the open position by a locking or clamping action between the edge of frame 6 and the side of frame 5, as seen in FIGURE 4. In the closed position of the cushion parts there is sufficient room between the edge of the frame 6 and the side of frame 5 to allow the seat pad to move freely in and out of the space 25 within the cushion. When the cushion is opened, frame 6 pivots on the hinges 4 and the edge of the frame moves into close proximity with the side of frame 5 locking or clamping the seat pad in whatever position it has been withdrawn to.

The seat pad 26 can be attached to the length of material 28- by any convenient method. In the example illustrated, a series of spaced apart loops 35 are formed at the end of the material 28 and a further series of spaced apart loops 36 are formed on the inner edge of the seat pad 26. The loops 36 are positioned between loops 35 and a rod 37 is slid through the loops to connect the seat pad to the material 28. In the fully withdrawn position of the seat pad 26 the ends of the rod 37 contact the lugs 19 on the hinge brackets 16. By coming into contact with the lugs, the rod prevents further withdrawal of the seat pad and prevents overstressing of the material 28 and the roller assembly.

On closing the two cushion parts together, the locking or clamping action between the two frames 5 and 6 is removed and the seat pad is drawn back into the interior of the cushion by the spring-loaded roller 27 Instead of the roller being spring-loaded, other means of rotating the roller can be provided.

It will be appreciated that the drawings illustrate only one of several possible arrangements. For example, the roller can be attached to frame 6 instead of frame 5 and similarly the strut 32 and brackets 33 can be reversed in position. The angle of inclination of the cushion part forming a backrest can be varied by providing a number of positions into which the strut can be placed. Other means for retaining the cushions in an open position can also be used. It'will also be appreciated that the frames 5 and 6 can be of tubular metal and, also, the flat sheets 7 and 12 can be replaced by webbing in the known manner.

I claim:

1. An adjustable split cushion comprising: a first cushion part and a second cushion part, pivot means attaching said cushion parts together at one side thereof, said cushion parts defining a hollow interior when in a closed position, a roller attached to one of said cushion parts within said hollow interior at a position remote from said pivot means and rotatable about an axis parallel to the pivotal axis of said pivot means, a seat pad, means attaching one end of said seat pad to said roller, means connected to said roller to rotate said roller in a direction to draw in said seat pad into said interior, said seat pad being withdrawable from said interior to .a desired position, clamping means operable on opening of said cushion parts to clamp said seat pad in said Withdrawn position and means for maintaining said cushion parts in said open position.

2. An adjustable split cushion as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means connected to roller to rotate it comprise at least one spring.

3. An adjustable split cushion as claimed in claim 1 wherein said clamping means comprises cooperating parts of said cushion parts.

4. An adjustable split cushion as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for maintaining said cushion parts in said open position comprises a strut pivotally attached to References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,320,799 11/1919 Samuelson 5-s9 1,447,486 3/1923 Schafer et al 297377 2,663,029 12/19 53 Whitley et a1. 5327 3,092,224 6/1963 ONeil 297-377 FOREIGN PATENTS 18,056 8/1913 Great Britain. 22,966 11/ 1905 Great Britain. 1 25,720 12/1901 Great Britain.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Examiner. 

1. AN ADJUSTABLE SPLIT CUSHION COMPRISING: A FIRST CUSHION PART AND A SECOND CUSHION PART, PIVOT MEANS ATTACHING SAID CUSHION PARTS TOGETHER AT ONE SIDE THEREOF, SAID CUSHION PARTS DEFINING A HOLLOW INTERIOR WHEN IN A CLOSED POSITION, A ROLLER ATTACHED TO ONE OF SAID CUSHION PARTS WITHIN SAID HOLLOW INTERIOR AT A POSITION REMOTE FROM SAID PIVOT MEANS AND ROTATABLE ABOUT AN AXIS PARALLEL TO THE PIVOTAL AXIS OF SAID PIVOT MEANS, A SEAT PAD, MEANS ATTACHING ONE END OF SAID SEAT PAD TO SAID ROLLER, MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID ROLLER TO ROTATE SAID ROLLER IN A DIRECTION TO DRAW IN SAID SEAT PAD INTO SAID INTERIOR, SAID SEAT PAD BEING WITHDRAWABLE FROM SAID INTERIOR TO A DESIRED POSITION, CLAMPING MEANS OPERABLE ON OPENING OF SAID CUSHION PARTS TO CLAMP SAID SEAT PAD IN SAID WITHDRAWN POSITION AND MEANS FOR MAINTAINING SAID CUSHION PARTS IN SAID OPEN POSITION. 